Breech mechanism of guns.



E. SCHNEIDER.

BREEGH'MBOHANISM 0F GUNS.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 29, 1911.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

9 SHEETSSKEET 1.v

E. SCHNEIDER.

BREEGH MECHANISM OF GUNS.

APPLIGA'I'ION FILED NOV. 29. 1911.

1,094,753, Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E SCHNEIDER BREECH MECHANISM OF GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1911. 1,094,753.

Patented Apr.28, 1914.

SHEET 3.

e SHEETS E. SCHNEIDER.

BREECH MECHANISM OF GUNS.

APPLICATION I'ILED NOV. 29, 1911. 1,094,753. v Patented Apr. 28; 1914.

' 9 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

avg

COLUMBIA vLANoGRAr-u co.. WASHINGTON. B4 c.

E. SCHNEIDER.

BREEGH MECHANISM OF GUNS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1911.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

" a SHEETS-SHEET 5.

CDLUMBlA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

E. SCHNEIDER. BREEGH MECHANISM OF GULTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1911.

v dw COLIIIIIA PLANOCHIAPII IO-,WASHINGTON, D. c.

E. SCHNEIDER.

BREEGH MEGHANISM OF GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29. 1911.

1,094,753, Patented Apr. 28, 1914-,

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7,

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH 50.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

E. SCHNEIDER.

BRBEOH MECHANISM OF GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 29, 1911.

1 ,O94;,753, Patented Apr.28, 1914.

9 SHEETS$HEET 8- COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

. E. SCHNEIDER.

BREEGH MECHANISM OF GUNS- APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1911. 1,094,753Patented Apr. 914.

. BET ET 9 block around its longitudinal axis. gThe essential advantageof this device is that the of the movement and to thesmoothtransitionfrom the movement of unscrewing to EUGENE SCHNEIDER, E LE crtEuzor,ERANcE;

EEEEOH MEcnANIsM oE GUNS. i

V Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 28 1914,, Applicationfiled. November 29, 1911. Serial No. 663,035. i i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE SCHNEIDER, a

citizen of the Republic of France residing at Le Creuzot,-Sa6ne-et-Loire,

France, have invented new and useful Improvements g in or Relating to IBreech lVLechanism of Guns, which is fully set forth in the followingspecification.

This invention relates to breech mechanism for guns and has for1-ts-ob1ect a breech screw havin continuous threads theo ening of thebreech being effected by the breech screw moving aside or laterallyafter its unscrewing and withdrawal from the breech have been-effected.p

According to, the present invention the breech screw support and itsoperating mechanism are suchthat they permit of producing completeopening and closing by a continuous rotation of the breech screw or m'sm'oa stored up in the breech screw during its unscrewing instead'ofbeingabsorbed as a total loss contributes to the 'continuatlon the movementof lateraldisplacement and Y .vice versa.

'A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way ofexample in the accoml tionshowing the breech screw unscrewed and'beforeits displacement to the side of" panying drawing. in which Figures 1 andl are a rear elevation and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section showing thebreech closed. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal secthe gun. Figs. 4 and 4c? are across section of ."ip'the pperating or transmission gear, the

breech screw occupying a similar position to that' shown in Fig. 3, andFigs. 5 and 5 are i a horizental'section showing the breech'screw openandilaterally displaced. "Figs, 6, 7 and v s 8 are partial sectionalelevations showing .thepositions assumed by the threads of the breechscrew in the "breech nut and in the shutter or carriage in which thebreech'is forms a nut, that can; slide by means'ot its I continuous.

mounted during the unscrewing operation, at the beginning of theclosure, andwhen the breech is completely closed'respectively.

. Thebreec'h screw comprises a cylindrical block a the thread of whichis substantially In the i breech-open position this breech block" or;screw] is carried by'a shutter orcarriage b, the inner part of whichouter longitudinal edges in transverseor lat eral guides c (Z formed inthe gun. The latter is suitably recessed at .the rear so as. to

enablethe shutter or carriage to move to" one side. The reentering orclosing lateral movement of'the shutter-nutb is limited by a suitablestop 6? in which position the] shutter-nut then comes inline with thebreech nut.

and closing, theshutter b forms a trunnion In order to insurecontinuo-us'rotation of the breech screw 1n the operations of openmg orpivot'at b for an operatingmember such .as a sleeve 6 provided withexternal teethc and'internal ribs 6 engaging in correspondvinglongitudinal grooves "a '(Fig, 2) ofthe breech screw a'; thevscrew isthus able toslide upon the ribsc of the operating'memher 6 while at thesame time rot atingin the internal threads of the shutter 22.

The teeth a constantly mesh with an endless chain f which passes overtwo 'toothed T Wheels 9 h mounted respectively upon the, v is V shafts2' and j carriedfby the gum t V It will readily be seen that amovementof rotation impartedtofthe external shaft 7' either by hand 0r.;by motorcontinuously drives the chain fand causesthe wheel 0 to travel byengaging with the lower length of,

this chain. The wheel 6 c" rotatingon the j shutter Z2 rotates thebreech screw it bymeans I of theri-bs 6 When thethreads in the shut- [iI.

ter come in line with the threads on the i breech nut Z2 the'breechscrew a is ready to enter the latter; the continuation of the movementof the chain f thus completes the closing of the breech, thebreechqscrew'cons,

tinuing'to rotate around itsv longitudinal" axis. The openingmovement iseffected by a rotation of the shaft j in the opposite re ction. V v sIn'order to facilitate the rotation of, the

operating member '6 c on the carriage or shutterb the rollers we may bemounted fupon spindles n on-the said carriage. IThe slidingof-thecarriage'is :facilitated by rollers} l p carried by it and running in"the guides 1 in 1 c a? ofthe gun.

'In the example of the invention illus-' trated; the lateraldisplacement of the car-Y- riagei'or. shutter b by the breech screw; a

when the breech is opened" is insured bya i stop or tappet lever 9 (Fig;4') ca bleet; V oscillating around a shaft r carriedqby{the-" V gun andsubjected to the action of'aspring plunger 8 Nor'mally, that istosayiduring; i

almost the whole of the unscrewing of the breech screw this tappet leveris forced down and held aside by the teeth 6 of the wheel 0. One of theteeth 6 of this wheel is of smaller height and formed with a radial holein which a tappet 2? is capable of a longitudinal movement which islimited by a pin 25. During the unscrewing the tap pet and tappet leveroccupy the position 1n-.

dicated in Fig. 2. The pressure on the upper end of the tappet t by thebreech screw (4 causes it to project above the frusto-conical tooth sothat it completes the height of this tooth. At the moment at which theunscrewing is completed a recess a formed in the screw comes oppositethe tappet 25 thereby enabling the spring plunger s to press said tappetback by the intermediary of the oscillating stop or tappet lever q, asshown in Fig. 4t. The front face of this stop thus comes in the path ofthe tooth e which follows the frusto-conical tooth 6 The movement ofrotation of the toothed member 6 around the geometrical axis of the gunis thus momentarily arrested but the member 0 is displaced by the chainf while continuing to rotate, by moving laterally with the carriage orshutter 72 and traveling on a rack it fixed to the gun. The outwardtravel of the carriage b is limited by a spring buffer 1) carrying atooth or projection o with which the teeth e engage.

In the example of the invention illustrated the arrangement of thethreads of the breech nut and of the shutter or shutternut b is suchthat there is longitudinal play between the threads k of the breech nutand the threads of the breech screw, and the latter contact with theformer only during the initial period of opening and the final period ofclosing (approximately a twelfth of a revolution) which periodscorrespond to the unscrewing and the screwing of ordinary screwbreeches. Throughout the entire duration of the opening and of theclosing apart from the two small periods mentioned above, the breechscrew is constantly supported without longitudinal play in theshutter-nut and rotates without friction in the threads of the breech.nut. This arrangement of the screw threads eliminates any risk of steelbinding against steel during unscrewing because a clearance of at leasta mm. always exists between the threads of the breech screw and of thebreech nut. The pitch is of course the same as regards the breech nut,the breech screw and the shutter but the threads of the breech screwpresent longitudinal play amounting to 2 mm. for example relatively tothe threads of the breech nut. There also exists in front of the breechscrew and in front of the breech nut 7"; a portion of a thread a and 72respectively amounting to one and two twelft-hs of a turn for example ofthe same pitch but of smaller external diameter than the other threads.These portions of threads 60 (Figs. 6, 7 and 8) are arranged so thatthey only contact when the screw comes within less than two twelfths ofa revolution of its complete closure. Up to this moment the threads ofthe breech screw a. retained without play in those of the shutter-nut b(Fig. 6) have rotated without touching them inside the threads 7 of thebreech nut, but as soon as the portions of threads 4& 7a which act asbearing threads have come into contact, the threads of the breech screwa leave those of the shutternut Z) and the rotation continuing, thethreads of the breech screw make contact with the threads of the breechnut and retain this contact during the whole of the final twelfthrevolution as in the screwing of ordinary screw breeches, the stopthreads being arranged elsewhere so that the breech screw cannot resumeits longitudinal play during this screwing period. Owing to this specialarrangement the continuous rotation of the breech screw cannot cause anybinding of steel on steel because apart from the initial period of atwelfth revolution the threads of the breech screw rotate with suitableplay in the threads of the breech nut.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1. A gun provided with a screw-threaded breech, a screw-threadedbreech-screw, a nonrotatable carriage or shutter having screw threadsengaging those on said breech-screw, and a rotatable element interposedbetween said carriage and screw for simultaneously rotating anddisplacing the latter longitudinally throughout its rearward movement.

2. A gun provided with a screw-threaded breech, a screw-threadedbreech-screw, a shutter having screw threads engaging those on saidbreech-screw, a movable member carried thereby, arib and grooveconnection between said screw and movable member, and means impartingmovement to said member to simultaneously rotate and longitudinallydisplace said screw throughout its rearward movement.

3. In a gun provided with a screw-threaded breech, a screw-threadedbreech-screw, a track or way arranged transversely of the gun, anon-rotatable shutter having screw threads engaging those on saidbreech-screw movable on said track or way, a movable element carried bysaid shutter, and means imparting movement to said elementtosimultaneously rotate and longitudinally displace said screw throughoutits rearward movement.

4. A gun provided with a screw-threaded breech, a screw-threadedbreech-screw, a shutter having screw threads engaging those on saidbreech-screw, a movable member carried thereby, a rib and grooveconnection member to simultaneously rotate and longi tudinally displacesaid screw throughout'its rearward movement, said means also dis betweensaid screw and movable member, and means mparting movement to saidplacing said screw with respect to the longitudinal axis of the gun,

I 5. A gun provided wlth a screw-threaded 'ybreech, a screw-threadedbreech-screw,

shutter having screw threads engaging-those on said breech-screw, amovable member carried thereby, riband groove connection between saidscrew and movablemember,

and common means imparting movement to said member to slmultaneo'uslyrotate and longitudinally displace said screw'through foutits rearwardmovement and to move said screw and shutter laterally withrespect to thelongitudinal axis 'ofthe gun. 6. In a gun,'the comblnation of a breech,av stationary track or way arranged transversely thereof,ascrew-thre'aded non-rota--' table shutter movable laterally thereon, a

breech-screw rotating in and having screw threads engaging those on saidshutter, a rotatable, member carried by said'shutter, a

rib and groove connection between said" member and screw, and, meansimpart ng" movementlto the formerrto simultaneously rotate and.longitudinally displace screw throughoutits rearward movement.

- 7.;In a gun, the combination ofa breech, a track or way arrangedtransversely thereof, a screw-threaded non-rotatable shutter' movablethereon, a' breech-screw rotating in and havingscrew threads engagingthose on said shutter, a's'leeve'carriedby said shutter, ajplurality ofiribs on said sleeve engagingaplurality of grooves in, said screw, orvice versa, andjmeans impart- "ing movement "to said sleeve-tosimultaneously rotate and longitudinally displace said screw throughout"its rearward movement and 'to move said screw and shutter laterally withrespect I to the longitudinal axisjofthe gun.

' 8t In a 'gun, a breiech,' screw threaded carriagev or shutterassociated therewith,

- a breech-screw having screw threads engaging; those onsaid carriage, atrack orwayon which sald carrlage 1S';lIIOVIbl6, an externally toothedsleeve mounted on saidcarriage, connections between said sleeve andscrew comprising a rib on one of said parts engaging a: grooveon theother, and operat ng means engaging Stlld;t68tl1 to slmulta- I 'fneously rotate and longitudinally displace said screw throughout itsrearward move ment and vto laterally displace said screw and shutteronsaid track or way. a v 9. In a gun, a breech, a breech-screw-providedwith a grooveextendingitheilengththereof, a non-rotatable carriage orshut-1" "ter in which saidscrew rotates, a tracker Way onwhichsaid-carriage isimovable, a'

I track sleeve mounted on said carriage provided externally with teethand internally'with. a

rib that engages said groove, and operating means engaging said, teethwhereby said" breech-screw is removed from the breechand'laterallydisplaced on said track or'way'. 10. In a gun, a breech, ascrew-threaded breechscrew, a vnon-rotatab-le carriage ,hav-

ing screw threads engaging thoseon said breech-screwinwhich said screwrotates, a

rotatable member mounted on saidfcarriage, connections between saidscrew and member comprislng ribs on one a part engaging grooves on theothena track or way-on} V v. $0 imparting movement to sa d'member to s1-which said shutteris'movable, and means multaneously rotate andlongitudinallydisrplace 'saidscrew throughout its 'rearward movement. 7

11; In a gun, a screw-threaded breech, a screw engaging therein,ascrew-threaded; 1 shutter in which said screw rotates; a mem-v bermovable relative tosaid screw, ene a nections between said screwnandmember 9c 7 multaneously rotate and longitudinally diswhereby movementof the latter will fsiplace said screw throughout its rearward movement.V

12.-In a gun, a continuously screw-threaded breech, a screwengagingtherein, a con-c tinuously screw threaded non rotatable shutter in whichsaid screw rotates, a rotatable member movablerelative to said screw,and connections between sald screw and member whereby rotation of thelatter w l screw throughoutv its rearward movement. 13. "In a gun, abreech,-a screw, a carriage in, which said screw rotates, a rotatablemember mounted on said carriage, "connections between said member .andscrew com carriage is movable, means engaging said screw for{automatically connecting said '100 "simultaneously rotate and displacesaid prising ribson one part engaging grooves- *onythe' other, a trackerway on which said screw and-member so that they willfmove I together,and means for rotating said mem ber.

14. In a gun, a breech, a screw engaging therein andprov' dedwith arecess, a cartatingr said member.

15. In a gun, a breech, a, screw engaging therein and providedjwitharecess, acara predetermined period, and means for ro- 'riage in whichsaid screw is'rotatable," a

or way on WlllOll saidc'arriage 'riage in which said screw, isrotatable, a 5 track or way onwhich said carriage moves, a rotatingmembermounted on said carriage 1 and connected to said screw, a pincarried by said member and engagingin saidrecess-at' moves, a rotatingmember mounted on said carriage" and connected to said screw, a, pin

carried by said'rmember and engaging in, said recess at apredetermlnedperlod, and

an endless chain mounted on the gun for rotating said member.

16. In a gun, the combination of a breech provided with screw-threads, abreech-block provided with screw-threads between which latter threadsand the threads of the breech a clearance is provided, a carriage orshutter provided with screw-threads which are engaged by the threads ofthe breech block without play or clearance, and means for forcing thescrew-threads on said block into 18. In a gun, the combination of abreech provided with screw-threads the innermost thread being of smallerexternal diameter than the other threads, a breech-block provided withscrew-threads like those in the breech, and a carriage or shutterprovided with screw-threads which are engaged by the threads of thebreech-block without play or clearance.

19. In a gun, the combination of a breech provided with continuousscrew-threads the innermost thread being of smaller external diameterthan the other threads, a breech block provided with continuousscrewthreads like those in the breech, and a carriage or shutterprovided with screw-threads which are engaged by the threads of thebreech-block without play or clearance.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE SCHNEIDER. lVitnesses:

H. C. Coxn,

R. DE SEVELIN GER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

